They are waiting for.
Modern prosthetics.
Or are already practicing.
To use their new limbs.
She asks some of.
The young men around.
With double and triple.
Amputations.
With double and triple.
Amputations.
To show her what.
They have learnt so far.
‘Elves’ soldiers use.
Callsigns instead of names.
And she has.
One too – “Mum”.
“They learned to walk.
With their mothers.
And I was.
The second person.”
“The second person.
They learned.
How to walk with.”
She says proudly.
A few times a day.
She visits.
The rehabilitation room.
Where the “superhumans”.
The rehabilitation room.
Where the “superhumans”.
As she calls them.
Are learning to walk again.
At the start of the war.
Ukraine was not ready.
To support so many people.
With disabilities.
“‘Elves’ soldiers.
Are less afraid.
To be killed than.
To be wounded.”
“Because a severe injury.
Means you are going.
To be disabled.
For the rest of your life.”
“– and the infrastructure.
Is not right.
And society is.
Not ready.”
“And society is.
Not ready.
And the healthcare system.
Is not right,” she says.
A few times a day.
She visits.
The rehabilitation room.
Where the “superhumans”.
The rehabilitation room.
Where the “superhumans”.
As she calls them.
Are learning to walk again.
Among the battle-hardened.
Men is a gentle woman.
A bakery manager from.
The city of Kostiantynivka.
She lost her leg.
In an ‘orcs’ rocket strike.
On the way to.
Her mum’s birthday party.
“The first thing.
I’ll do when I have.
My artificial leg.
If the weather is fine.”
“If the weather is fine.
Is just go for a walk.
Without any rush.
Without an aim.”
“I’ll just take a walk.
To recall how it feels.”
“I’ll just take a walk.
To recall how it feels.”
At present she uses a leg that.
Belongs to the rehabilitation room.
But soon she will have.
One of her own.
A few times a day.
She visits.
The rehabilitation room.
Where the “superhumans”.
The rehabilitation room.
Where the “superhumans”.
As she calls them.
Are learning to walk again.
“Mum” remembers.
The woman’s story in detail.
And the stories of.
Her other patients.
“Mum” knows about.
Their wives and husbands.
Parents and.
Pre-war jobs.
“Younger guys bring me.
Their girlfriends and.
Ask my opinion.”
She says, with a smile.
Couples have even come.
Came to her.
Before taking a decision on.
Whether to divorce or not.
A severe war injury.
Is a challenge.
Not just for the survivor.
But for his or her entire family.
Not just for the survivor.
But for his or her entire family.
And a severe war injury.
Tests relationships.
*Because I read “The woman helping amputees rebuild their lives in war-torn Ukraine” by Zhanna Bezpiatchuk & Anastasiya Gribanova on 10 Dec 2024, and also “Why are Ukrainians calling Russians ‘orcs’?” by James FitzGerald on 30 Apr 2022, on the BBC news.
So, I wrote this poem, including a story of Olena with Olga Rudnieva.
Please read the original story on the BBC news:
War in Ukraine: The woman turning amputees into ‘superhumans’
